Tokyo Hotel Guide

Tokyo offers the widest range of lodging choices of any Japanese city, including many international and domestic hotel chains, hostels, dormitories, capsule hotels and ryokan. Below we briefly introduce Tokyo's main districts, their advantages as a base for tourists and some recommended hotels:

Shinjuku

Shinjuku is a very popular district among tourists to stay thanks to its convenient location and abundance of shopping, entertainment and sightseeing opportunities. Many excellent four and five star hotels are located among the skyscrapers on the station's west side, while many cheaper options are concentrated on the east side and around the Kabukicho red light district.

Asakusa

Asakusa is a recommended district to stay for low budget travelers with its wealth of inexpensive hostels, dormitories, budget ryokan and small hotels. It is also a great location for those looking for an old-fashioned feel of Tokyo. Located a few subway stops off the Yamanote Line, it is neither the most convenient nor an inconvenient base for exploring the city.

Tokyo Station

The Tokyo Station area is obviously a very convenient place to stay. Thanks to its central location, it is a convenient base to explore the entire city and offers easy access to/from Narita Airport. As the terminal station of multiple shinkansen lines, it also is the perfect base for long-distance day trips. Several four and five star hotels are located adjacent to or in the close vicinity of the station, but low budget options are not available.

Roppongi

A hotel in Roppongi will allow for easy enjoyment of the local nightlife scene. But also for the traveler uninterested in nightlife activities, the district's central location and choice of excellent hotels, make it worth considering. Roppongi is not located along the Yamanote Line, though.

Shiodome

Shiodome is one of Tokyo's most pleasant and convenient places to stay. Centrally located, the modern city district offers multiple elegant hotels among its skyscrapers, as well as exciting dining options. The district's modern city planning allows hotel guests to reach Shiodome Station and nearby Shimbashi Station on the Yamanote Line by covered or underground walking paths.

Odaiba

Odaiba has a few very pleasant hotels, especially the Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba and Hilton Tokyo Odaiba, which come with a certain resort atmosphere. The area's downside as a base is its somewhat isolated location from the rest of the city.

Haneda Airport

Hotels around Haneda Airport are popular among travelers to spend their last respectively first night in Japan especially in case of early departures or late arrivals. Each terminal building contains a hotel, and many more are located a short shuttle bus or train ride away. Shinagawa, a 20 minute train ride from the airport, is another popular place to stay for airport users.

Shinagawa

Shinagawa does not have much sightseeing to offer, but it is among Tokyo's most convenient districts to stay in terms of transportation. Shinagawa Station is not only located along the Yamanote Line, but also offers direct connections to both of Tokyo's airports, and is served by the Tokaido Shinkansen, the high speed train line to Kyoto and Osaka.

Shibuya

Trend-setting Shibuya offers several hotels to those wishing to conveniently enjoy the district's many shopping and nightlife options. But Shibuya's location along the Yamanote Line and multiple subway lines, also make it a convenient base to explore the rest of the city. The Tokyu corporation runs not only a lot of Shibuya's shopping facilities, but also several of the district's most convenient hotels, all located within short walks of the station.

Ginza

The Ginza is a good location for those seeking easy access to the district's many shopping, dining and night life options. Located a 15-20 minute walk from Tokyo Station and the Yamanote Line, it is neither the most convenient nor an inconvenient place to base oneself. High to medium budget options are ample, but low budget options are hard to find.

Ikebukuro

Ikebukuro is not Tokyo's best reputed district, but its location around one of the city's busiest train stations makes it a convenient base. Ikebukuro is among the cheaper places along the Yamanote Line and offers low budget options as well as comfortable three and four star hotels.

Akihabara

A small number of hotels around Akihabara Station and across the district offer the ideal choice for those seeking proximity to Akihabara's otaku culture. Its location along the Yamanote Line makes Akihabara also a convenient base to explore the rest of Tokyo.

Ueno

Ueno offers several low and medium budget hotels and is convenient for access to/from Narita Airport. Located along the Yamanote Line and the Tohoku, Joetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen, it is a convenient base for exploring the city and for side trips to the northern Kanto Region, the Tohoku Region, Niigata and Nagano.

Tokyo Disney Resort

Although the theme parks are not located too far outside of central Tokyo, visitors to Tokyo Disney Resort may find it more convenient and fun to stay at one the various hotels found around the resort. Besides five official Disney Hotels, there are multiple other hotels available.